What Wine to Open for Thanksgiving: A Collector’s Guide

Every November, the question returns: what wine goes with Thanksgiving dinner? The harder question for a collector is often which bottles to open, and when.

Thanksgiving brings people with different tastes to a table full of competing flavors. One guest wants red, another wants white, and someone has added cranberry sauce to everything. A prized bottle deserves to be enjoyed, but asking it to pair with every bite can take some of the pleasure out of opening it.

Last year, we put together a course by course Thanksgiving wine pairing guide. This year, we are approaching the holiday from the cellar: how to choose wines that welcome everyone, make room for an exceptional bottle, and let the evening unfold naturally.

Choose a Wine Guests Can Return To

The most useful bottle on the Thanksgiving table is often the one people happily refill. It should feel comfortable beside several dishes and appealing on its own while plates are being passed.

Start with Champagne as guests arrive. A bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée could begin the afternoon and remain on the table well into dinner, especially if the first plates include buttery or savory appetizers.

For a red to pour throughout the meal, Pinot Noir is a natural choice. Its freshness and red fruit work across a varied plate, while an earthier expression feels at home with roasted turkey and savory stuffing. An Oregon Pinot Noir from Domaine Serene would make a welcoming dinner bottle.

Cru Beaujolais offers another generous option. A Domaine Anita Moulin is the sort of red we would reach for when guests are taking a little of everything and the conversation matters more than finding one exact pairing.

For white wine drinkers, choose Chardonnay with both texture and freshness. A Peter Michael Chardonnay has the depth to accompany turkey and gravy. If you would rather bring Chablis to the table, Raveneau offers a different expression of Chardonnay to explore.

These are the bottles to keep within reach throughout dinner. You can find more seasonal ideas in our guide to wines for fall.

Give Barbaresco Its Own Moment

Thanksgiving is an occasion to open something you have been looking forward to sharing. The trick is to choose its moment as thoughtfully as you chose the wine.

A mature Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva would be our pick for the savory part of the evening. Bring it out with turkey, mushroom stuffing, and herb filled dishes, then give guests time to follow it in the glass. It may be the bottle people return to after their plates are cleared.

The same idea applies if the wine you have been saving is an older Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Bordeaux. Open it for the people gathered around the table. If its best match is a serving of turkey without cranberry sauce, or a small plate of cheese after dinner, let it have that space. It does not need to carry the entire feast to be the wine everyone remembers.

Let Riesling Handle the Difficult Plates

Some Thanksgiving plates are especially challenging for dry reds. Sweet potatoes, glazed vegetables, cranberry sauce, and anything with a little heat can all end up together.

This is where Riesling with a touch of sweetness earns its place. A Donnhoff Riesling Kabinet brings a lively option for guests whose plates lean toward those flavors, and it gives the table something quite different from Chardonnay. We would be happy to pour both.

For more ideas about matching wine with seasonal dishes, revisit our fall wine pairing guide.

Prepare Older Bottles for the Table

If you are opening a back vintage wine, think about it before guests arrive. Give a bottle with sediment time to stand upright, and open it gently. Taste it before deciding whether to decant. Some mature wines benefit from separating the wine from its sediment, while others are ready to enjoy as soon as they are poured.

Most of all, make time to share it. A special bottle can disappear surprisingly quickly during a busy dinner. Pouring modest first glasses gives everyone a chance to taste it and come back to see how it develops.

A Thanksgiving Lineup We Would Love to Pour

We would welcome guests with Krug Grande Cuvée, set out Peter Michael Chardonnay and Domaine Serene Pinot Noir for dinner, and bring out a mature Produttori del Barbaresco Riserva with the savory dishes. If sweet or spicy sides have a prominent place on the menu, we would add a Joh. Jos. Prüm Kabinett.

That is one possible lineup, not a requirement. The best wines for Thanksgiving are the ones you are excited to open with the people at your table. Choose a few that make dinner easy, then give one meaningful bottle the attention it deserves.

For a broader look at what to pour as the season changes, revisit our earlier fall wine guide.

Explore fine and back vintage wines at Benchmark Wine Group.